About Lynn Bowman

I believe we all carry the answers within us — though sometimes those answers, next steps, or the courage to change aren't so easy to see or reach. We get stuck. And I know that experience personally.

Over time, both in my own life and in the work I've done alongside leaders, I've come to understand something important: change is hard, and sustained change — real transformation — is even harder. What I've learned, and what continues to shape the way I coach, is that lasting change rarely happens through thinking alone. It happens when we bring the body into the conversation — when we reclaim the wisdom that lives not just in our minds, but in how we breathe, how we hold ourselves, how we respond when the pressure is on.

That's what drew me to embodied leadership coaching. I want to help my clients move toward more integrated, purposeful lives — reconnecting with their gifts, clarifying what they long for, and building the awareness and practices to actually live and lead from that place. What I most want to offer is this: a deeper understanding of how you show up, greater trust in your own capacity for change, and a clearer, more grounded commitment to what matters most.

As an executive leadership coach, I specialize in embodied leadership — work that integrates intellectual clarity with somatic awareness, emotional intelligence, and presence. I partner with leaders who are navigating transition, new roles, or a sense that something more is calling — even when they can't quite name it yet. 

I coach across sectors including higher education, nonprofits, independent schools, government agencies, and tech, and I have a particular passion for working with women leaders and leaders of color navigating complex, high-stakes environments.

Rather than relying on effort alone, this work cultivates a way of being that is grounded, intuitive, relational, and strategic. It recognizes that how we lead is shaped not only by what we know, but by how we sense, regulate, relate, and respond—especially under pressure.  

During our work together,  you will reconnect to what you care about, notice how pressure is shaping your response, and explore how to lead from steadiness rather than strain. 

I spent over twenty years in education and the nonprofit sector as a senior administrator, consultant, and teacher — leading strategic initiatives, building teams, and guiding organizations through challenge and change. That experience taught me, from the inside out, what it actually takes to lead — and what it costs when we lead from a place of disconnection from ourselves.

In addition to my coaching work, I also consult with schools, nonprofits, and boards focusing on leadership and team development, helping leaders onboard new senior-level administrators, build trust, master conflict and decision-making, foster accountability, and become more inclusive and empathic leadership teams.

My somatic practice is central to my life. Meditation, movement, and writing are not just professional tools — they are how I find my ground, slow down enough to hear myself, and stay connected to what matters. I've learned that stillness and movement are both essential: stillness to find clarity, movement to process emotion and generate new ideas.

I have a deep and abiding love of the ocean. Water — the beach, the sound of waves, the particular light on the sea at different times of day — is where I find inspiration, peace, and steadiness. It is one of my most reliable teachers.

Beauty moves me. A poem, a painting, a piece of music that captures something true can bring me to tears — and I mean that as a good thing.

Family and community are at the center of my life. My husband and I are lucky that our two grown children and their families live close by, and the connections I have with friends, neighbors, and community are a constant source of joy and meaning. I am a seeker of those connections — and I find deep fulfillment in helping others.

I also serve as a Trustee on the Board of the Rhode Island School for Progressive Education and support housing and educational initiatives in my community.

And — perhaps most importantly — I am learning that preparing a good meal and sharing it with people you love is its own kind of practice. I am currently perfecting my peach cobbler and gaining the courage to share it with friends and family!

• Somatic Coaching Certification Program, Strozzi Institute

• Executive Leadership Coaching Program, Georgetown University

• International Coaching Federation (ICF) Certified Coaching Credential

• Leadership Circle, Certified Practitioner

• DiSC, Certified Practitioner

• EQ-i 2.0 and EQ-i 360 Certified Practitioner 

• IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory)  Qualified Administrator

• MA, American Literature, Sacramento State, BA, American Literature, Brown University